Guide to Renting

Looking for a rental property?

Viewing available properties can be done via private appointment or by attending an advertised open for inspection.

If you are interested in viewing a property via private appointment, you will need to fill in an application form and provide the relevant supporting documentation. A decision normally takes between 24 and 48 hours and is at the absolute discretion of the landlord.

Bond

Upon signing of the lease, your Bond will be lodged with the Rental Bonds Online where it will be held in trust for the duration of your lease. A Bond is held as a security deposit against any damage or undue wear and tear and can be up to the value of 4 weeks rent.

Once you vacate the property an inspection will be conducted by your Property Manager. Provided the property report coincides with the original Condition Report (allowing for fair wear & tear) your bond will be credited to the bank account you provide us with. Please note that this process can take up to 10 business days.

It is against the Residential Tenancies Act to use your Bond as a substitute for the last months’ rent.

Insurance

It is the tenant’s responsibility to insure personal possessions against any loss, damage or theft. This is called home contents insurance.

Inspections

Upon the commencement of your lease, your Property Manager will complete an In-going inspection and full Condition Report which can contain up to 500 colour photographs. You will be given the opportunity to check this and add to it upon moving into the property, and returning to us within 7 days.

This is the report we will refer to at the end of the tenancy. It is therefore in your best interest to read through the Condition Report and Tenancy Agreement thoroughly and ensure you retain a copy in a safe place. Regular routine inspections will also be conducted by your Property Manager during the tenancy period, every 3 – 6 months.

You will be contacted in advance to advise of the scheduled inspection time. You may contact the office to re-schedule the date/time if not suitable (within 1 week either side) however we don’t require you to be present and can access the property with your permission.

Maintenance and Repair Requests

All maintenance requests must be made in writing and preferably with a photo of the problem. You may do this on-line via an e-mail, or via fax using the request forms provided in your Tenancy kit. Phone requests will only be accepted in an extreme emergency.

Where possible, we aim to attend to requests immediately, however in some instances we are required to obtain quotes and Landlord approval, in which case there may be a short delay. It is the tenant’s responsibility to provide access and keep appointments with tradesmen.

Maintenance of gardens/grounds is the responsibility of the tenant. (unless specified otherwise) Please ensure that the grass is kept cut, edges are kept tidy, that excess rubbish is removed and, were appropriate, excess furniture/possessions are not stored on balconies, verandahs, carports or the yard.

If the property has a swimming pool, pool tools will be provided ie. leaf scoops, creepy crawley etc however it is the tenants responsibility to keep the pool clean, which also means the purchase of pool chemicals when required. Alternatively the Landlord may include scheduled pool maintenance; it is best to discuss the pool arrangements for a particular property prior to signing a lease.

Utilities

Tenants are responsible for utility connections and ensuring accounts are in the correct names for the duration of the tenancy. This includes electricity and gas (if applicable). Water usage will be invoiced quarterly, your property manager will have taken a water meter reading the day prior to you moving in. Upon vacating you will have a final water meter reading and there will be water usage payable prior to the bond being returned.

Our rental properties in the Bawley Point & Kioloa area are on tank water and septic pump-outs. The property will be provided to the tenant with sufficient water tank levels however if additional water is required for the tanks during the tenancy, this will be at the tenants cost. If the water pump burns out because a tenant has not kept sufficient water levels; the cost of repairs will be invoiced to the tenant. Additional septic pump-outs required are also at the tenants cost.

Terminating your Tenancy Agreement

As your Residential Tenancy Agreement is legally binding document between you and your Landlord, there are legal obligations for both parties in regard to lease termination.

If you wish to terminate your tenancy after the lease agreement has expired, you must give written notice prior to vacating. If your tenancy agreement is still current and you wish to vacate, you are breaking your lease. This means you are responsible for meeting rental payments until a suitable replacement tenant is found or until the expiration of the lease, whichever is sooner. You may also be charged a break lease fee depending on which half of the lease you are in at the time of terminating.

Contact your Property Manager immediately if you decide to terminate your tenancy and find out exactly what your obligations are.